Disclaimer: The Invisible Man and the characters involved therein belongs to The Sci Fi channel. No copywrite infringment intended. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. Maggie Rourke and anyone else you don't recognize belong to me.
NOTES: You should probably read at least the first story in the Maggie arc, We Can Be Heros, to understand Maggie a little better.
Claire was waiting for Maggie when she arrived the next morning. "Dr. Johnson said she'd be a little late. She wanted me to give you the inhibitor."
Maggie wrinkled her nose. "Do you have to?"
"After yesterday, I'd think you'd rather have me do it." Claire retrieved the syringe from the cooler.
Sighing, Maggie hopped up into the chair. "Fine, let's get this over with."
Claire administered the shot a quickly as possible. "There. All done."
Maggie hissed. "That stings."
"Stings?"
"Yeah. Burns a little. Never did before."
"I'll ask Dr. Johnson about it when she comes in."
"So what am I supposed to do this morning? Dr. Johnson doesn't want me in the lab by myself."
"She didn't say. Hang out in here. I've got some work you can do if you want."
"Sure." She jumped down from the chair and followed Claire across the room.
Claire was watching Maggie when Dr. Johnson stuck her head in the lab door around 11. Maggie was sitting on a lab stool, leaning over a microscope. Maggie reached for her water bottle, her hand going past it twice before knocking it over. Thankfully, the cap was still on it. Maggie grabbed at it, missing and it fell to the floor.
"Agent Rourke, I'd like to see you in my office."
Maggie tripped getting off the stool, falling to one knee. Picking up her water, she followed Dr. Johnson, suspicion evident on her face. Claire stopped her on the way out.
"Maggie, are you feeling alright?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Just a little clumsy today."
Dr. Johnson was waiting behind her desk, looking cross as usual when Maggie came in. "Please sit, Agent Rourke."
"Was there something you needed?" Maggie flopped into the chair in front of the desk.
"Yes. I have become aware of your activities outside this agency."
"My activities?" Maggie found herself becoming annoyed. "You mean dinner last night?"
"Among other things. You have forced me to create a list of rules that you will use to govern your behavior."
Maggie's jaw dropped." Rules? It was dinner, not some druggie party."
"Regardless, you seem in need of structure and guidance." Dr. Johnson nodded. "First, you are not permitted to consume any alcoholic beverages. Secondly, you will check in with me whenever you feel the need to leave the building. This included leaving for the day and arriving home from work. Finally, I am forbidding you from having any contact with Agents Fawkes and Hobbes."
"What?" Maggie jumped up, furious. "Where do you get off-"
"Sit down, Agent Rourke!" Dr. Johnson yelled. "I am your Keeper and it is my duty to make sure the Agency's investment doesn't go to waste. You will do as I say and if you don't I will make sure you take up permanent residence in these labs. Do you understand?"
Maggie lunged at Dr. Johnson, scrambling over the desk to reach her. Her hands tightened on Dr. Johnson's throat, pushing her against the wall. "Is that all I am to you, bitch? An investment? An experiment?" Maggie's fist connected with Dr. Johnson's jaw.
She swung at Maggie but she blocked the blow, grabbing Dr. Johnson's arm and twisting it up behind her. "I don't think you want to try me right now doc." To prove her point, Maggie applied pressure to the arm and Dr. Johnson cried out.
She kicked her foot backward, connecting with Maggie's leg. Maggie yelled and let go out her. Dr. Johnson ran over to the intercom on the wall and hit the panic button before Maggie grabbed her arm. This time when Dr. Johnson swung at her, the punch connected. Maggie cursed and let go holding her nose. Dr. Johnson ran from the lab, alarms blaring around her.
"Dr. Johnson." Maggie called over the noise. She appeared in the doorway, holding her gun. "There you are. I don't think we finished our conversation." Maggie pointed the gun at the woman who was standing at the end of the hallway. "What the hell did you do to me?" The gun followed her movements as she tried to get past Maggie.
"Stop her! She's gone insane!" Dr. Johnson yelled. Maggie whirled around and Hobbes knocked her gun away from her.
She punched him, knocking him back before throwing him across the room telekinetically. The security guards were frozen in their tracks. Claire was standing in the doorway of her lab.
"Stay where you are Keep. Unless you want to join Hobbes over there." Maggie warned her before turning back to her own Keeper. "Want to see just how crazy I am doc?" Maggie asked. She lifted her hand and Dr. Johnson slammed back against the wall. Her hands flew to her throat as she felt pressure against her windpipe.
"What did you do to her?" Claire demanded from Dr. Johnson. Blood was still trickling from Maggie's nose. Maggie turned thinking the question was for her and focused on Claire. "You're in on it too. You planned this together."
"Maggie, you know me. I would never hurt you." Claire told her softly, hands held out to show she was unharmed. "Please, I can help you, if you let me."
"I know what your help is like." Maggie yelled. Claire screamed and grabbed her head, falling to the floor. Then Maggie turned back to Dr. Johnson. She lifted her up the wall, when something came down on the back of her neck. She collapsed, Dr. Johnson falling to the floor with a thud. Darien caught Maggie, reappearing as she fell into his arms.
Hobbes got to his feet gingerly, holding his nose. He looked around at the suddenly free guards. "What are you standing around for? Help him out."
They jumped to action, putting Maggie in a straightjacket before depositing her in the padded room in Lab 1. Dr. Johnson was put in her own straight jacket in the padded room in Lab 3 and Claire in the lab chair in Lab 1.
The Official found Darien and Hobbes standing at the observation window. Hobbes' nose was bandaged; Maggie had broken it when she hit him.
"Déjà vu, huh?" Darien's eyes never left Maggie, unmoving in the middle of the room.
"Do we have any idea what caused this?" The Official looked troubled at the sight of Maggie in the straight jacket.
"My guess is that Dr. Johnson did something to her in all those tests she ran."
"Security is searching her office right now, sir." Hobbes added.
"And the Keeper?"
Darien looked over his shoulder at Claire. "Eberts is keeping an eye on her. The tech said she should be fine. And he drew some blood from Maggie for a tox screen when they first put her in here." He turned to the Official.
"I've seen amphetamine addicts act this way. Paranoid, aggressive."
"Do you think Dr. Johnson drugged Magdalena?"
He shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past her." He turned back to the window. "She was supposed to care for Maggie." Darien said softly. Maggie made a quiet noise and he leaned against the window.
The Official nodded. Giving one last look at Maggie, he turned to see how Claire was doing. She had passed out when they were bringing her into the lab. Claire was still unconscious, Eberts hovering around her.
"How's she doing Eberts?"
"I suspect she's going to have a serious headache when she wakes up. There doesn't seem to be anything else wrong with her."
"I'm going up to the office. Have to figure out what to do about Maggie and Dr. Johnson."
"Yes, sir."
"Let me know if anything changes."
"Yes, sir."